Lizzo Addresses Claims Her VMAs Speech Was In Response To Comedian's Body-Shaming Remarks

The About Damn Time singer made headlines with her speech at this year's MTV Video Music Awards.
Open Image Modal
Lizzo on the VMAs red carpet on Sunday night
Eduardo Munoz via Reuters

Lizzo has spoken out about the message behind her speech at this year’s VMAs.

Over the weekend, the Good As Hell singer was awarded the Best Video For Good prize at the MTV Video Music Awards for her About Damn Time clip.

Accepting the award, she said on stage: “I want to say thank you so much for supporting me and loving me.”

Channelling Nicki Minaj at the same awards show seven years earlier, she joked: “And now, to the bitches that got somethin’ to say about me in the press…

“You know what? I’m not gonna say nothing. They be like, ‘Lizzo, why don’t you clap back? Why don’t you clap back?’. Because, bitch, I’m winning, ho! Best revenge is your paper!”

While many fans interpreted Lizzo’s remarks as a subtle response to US comic Aries Spears, who recently made a string of disparaging and insulting remarks about her appearance, she later took to Twitter to insist this was not the case.

“Lemme make one thing VERY clear— I wasn’t addressing anybody in my speech last night.. I was addressing EVERYBODY,” she wrote.

Over the course of the night, Lizzo sported three different looks, including one for the red carpet, another for a performance of her new single 2 Be Loved (Am I Ready) and a third as she took to the stage to collect her award.

US rapper Jack Harlow was the big winner at this year’s event, taking home four awards in total, while Taylor Swift scooped the top prize of Video Of The Year, making VMAs history in the process.

Check out the full list of winners here.